Dispensing cap for collapsible tubes



May 27, 1952 H. ABRAMS DISPENSING CAP FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1950 Harry Abrams INVENTOR.

BY film W mg,

y 1952 H. ABRAMS DISPENSING CAP FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Feb. 28, 1950 Harry Abrams INVENTOR.

Patented May 27, 1952 U NIT E D STATE S PAT E NT QF- F'IQE DISPENSING CAP FOR ooLLAPsIBLE TUBES Harry Abrams, Philadelphia,-Pa;

Application FebruaryZS, 1950, Serial N0."146;734

7 Claims.

This invention relates to new-and useful improvements in caps for-collapsible tubes and the like, and the primaryyobj'ect of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved dispensing' capthat is quickly and-readily applied to'or removed from the threaded neck of a collapsible tube or container in a-convenient manner;

Another very important object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing cap including'abody member havinga. dispensing openin'g-therein; and a meansslidablycarried by the body member for-sealing :the'end of a tube on which the body memberpis appliedand for closing the :dispensing' opening;

A further objectof the presentinvention-is to provide-a dispensing cap that is so constructed as to permit the contents of a collapsible tubeor container to be removed in aclean, sanitary manner.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a dispensing cap that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, extremely small'and compact in structure,

inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise Well;

adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Figure l is a perspective view of a collapsible tube and showing the present cap applied thereon;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the present cap applied to the neck of a tube and taken substantially onthe plane of section line 22 of Figure Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the plunger and outer sleeve raised;

Figure 4 is a transverse horizontal sectional viewtaken substantially on the plane of section line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a group perspective View of the present invention;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view of Figure 2 but showing the plunger head in slightly modified form; and,

Figure 8 is a perspective View of the plunger head shown in use in Figure 7.

2. Referring now to the drawings in: detail, where in for the purpose :of illustration, there'isrdis closed a preferred embodiment ofthe present [6 therein.

The wall defining ,the neck 12 'isrslightlythicke: er than the wall; defining the' sleeve lfi propier and the outer periphery of the-:neck I2 extends radially outwardly iromthe outerperiphery iof the sleeve llltoform an abutment orcontinuous external shoulder Hi;

The sleeve l0 is formed with-arr inclined dispensingopening orslot '20- that is'locatedwjust above the shoulder: I-8'.- Visual .perceptiblemeans;

in the form 'of 'dent- 22, is "provided-.omtheneck I2 in alignment'with the opening r-toindicate the: end wall 34 of the" outer'sleeve' 24..

thelocation of the-opening-20 when. the-opening is concealed-in a manner presently-t0 be -described.

An outer sleeve 24 embraces the inner-sleeve i0 and is slidably; receivedon-the inner sleeve It. This outer sleeve 24 is sufiicientlylong-asato permit its lower end 26 t'oiseat'against the shoul der 18 and close the dispensing opening 20.

Valve means is provided for closing the dispensing' opening v20 and forsealing the"threaded neck 28 of. a collapsible tube :ortcontainer-on, which the attaching neck 12 .is'threaded: This.

valve means includes aplungern32' that is attachedtoorvwhichfiorms an integral part of plunger 32 is slidably received in theopening 16.

The body or stem 36 0f the plunger '32 includesa slotted lowerend 3-8 that is-forced and yieldin'g'ly held'in a recess "provided in aplunger head or valve head 42. head #2 projects beyond the lower end 26 of the outer sleeve 24 to seat against the neck '28 and the head 42 is suificiently thick to close the dispensing opening 20 when the head His seated against the neck 28, as shown, in, Figure 2..

A coil spring 4L embraces the body 36 andvis biased between the head 42.and the end wall- 14,

to yieldingly urge the end 25 against the shoulder I8 and the head 42 against the neck 28. Obviously other resilient means could be employed to function as the sprin 44, such as a leaf spring or a spongy rubber collar about the body 36. Also, when the cap is used on containers, that set upright, by increasing the weight of the head The The lower face of the- 42 the same will gravitate to a closed position without requiring the spring means 44.

Means is provided for locking the outer sleeve and the plunger away from the dispensing opening 20. This means comprises a cam or eccentric surface 46 on the outer periphery of the inner sleeve l and extendin throughout the length of sleeve I 0 that will ride against a cam or eccentric surface 48 on the inner periphery of the outer sleeve 24 and which extends substantially the length of sleeve 24, when the sleeve 24 has been manually raised and rotated relative to the inner sleeve.

Figures 7 and 8 show the plunger head in slightly modified form. The plunger head 50 shown in these latest figures, includes a tapered, substantially conical, end 52 to permit material to drain therefrom and reenter the tube 30.

The dispensing cap is constructed from any suitable material that is-easily cleaned, such as plastic, and the sleeves l0 and 24 may be circular in cross-section, as shown, or multi-sided.

Obviously, other suitable locking or retaining means could be used for retaining the outer sleeve and the plunger away from the dispensing opening, such as lugs depending from the wall 34 and resting upon the wall M with recesses in the wall M for receiving the lugs when the outer sleeve is rotated to permit the outer sleeve and plunger to close the opening 26.

Having described the invention, claimed as new is: V

l.'A dispensing cap comprising an inner sleeve having an internally threaded neck at one end and an opening at its other end, an outer sleeve surrounding said inner sleeve and slidably received on said inner sleeve, said inner sleeve having a dispensing opening therein, valve means carried bysaid outer sleeve and slidably received in the opening in one end of said inner sleeve, means urging said valve means to its closed position, and cam means between said sleeves for locking the outer sleeve against slidin movement on the inner sleeve.

2. The combination of claim 1 and visual perceptible means on said neck for indicating the location of said dispensing opening.

3. A dispensing cap comprising an inner sleeve having an internally threaded neck at one end and an opening at its other end, an outer sleeve surrounding said inner sleeve and slidably received on said inner sleeve, said inner sleeve having a dispensing opening therein, valve means carried by said outer sleeve and slidably received in the opening in one end of said inner sleeve, a spring member disposed Within said inner sleeve and yieldingly urging said valve means to a position for closing the dispensing opening, and cam locking means between said sleeves for locking the outer sleeve against sliding on said inner sleeve.

4. A dispensing cap comprising a body member having an internally threaded end for engaging the threaded end of a tube, a plunger slidably received in said body member, said body member having a dispensin opening, means yieldingly urging said plunger to a position for closing the dispensing opening and against one end of a tube on which the body member is mounted, and

what is cam means for locking the plunger away from the dispensing opening.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said means includes an outer sleeve embracing said body member and having a protuberance on its inner periphery, and a further protuberance on the outer periphery of said body member for riding against the first mentioned protuberance.

6. A dispensing cap comprising an inner sleeve having an internally threaded attaching neck at one end, an external shoulder on said inner sleeve, said inner sleeve having a dispensing opening adjacent said shoulder, an outer sleeve embracing said inner sleeve and slidable on said inner sleeve, a plunger slidably carried by said inner sleeve and received within said inner sleeve, said plunger being movable with and rigidly attached to said outer sleeve, and means yieldingly urging said plunger to a position for closin the dispensing opening and also urging one end of said outer sleeve against the shoulder and to a position for closing the dispensing opening, said plunger including a head portion having a diameter greater than the internal diameter of a tube neck on which the inner sleeve is adapted to be mounted, and said means yieldingly urging the head portion against the tube neck on which the inner sleeve is mounted.

'7. A dispensing cap comprising an inner sleeve having an internally threaded attaching neck at one end and an end wall at its opposite end, said end wall having a central opening therein, an outer sleeve embracing said inner sleeve and slidable on the inner sleeve, said outer sleeve including an end wall closing one end of said outer sleeve, a plunger integrally formed with the end wall of said outer sleeve and disposed axially of and within said outer sleeve, said plunger being slidably received in the central opening, a plunger head secured to said plunger and slidably received in said inner sleeve, an external rib on said neck forming an abutment for the open end of said outer sleeve, said inner sleeve navmg an outlet port therein adjacent the rib, and a coil spring surrounding the plunger and biased between the plunger head and the end wall of said inner sleeve, said spring yieldingly urging the open end of said outer sleeve against said rib to close said aperture and also urging the plunger toward the neck with the plunger head closing the aperture, and means within the outer sleeve for retaining the open end of the outer sleeve and the plunger head spaced from the aperture whereby material entering the neck may pass through the aperture.

HARRY ABRAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

